GOP Convention’s ‘We Built It!’ Theme Night To Be Held In Arena That Government Built

In addition to summoning forth dread hurricanes to (probably) destroy any Florida seniors accidentally left standing in the wake of Paul Ryan’s spending cuts, this year’s GOP convention will bring to Tampa (and viewers whose remote controls are just out of reach) a terribly droll spin on President Obama’s recent musings re: whether or not you built that. (Stage-whispered hint: HE HAS HIS DOUBTS.) The just-announced theme for the Tuesday Night Republican Club: “We Built It!” Yup. That’s about what they’re going with, looks like. But did they? Build “It”?

Is this some sort of dream? Like, this theme night stuff is ON TOP of Tuesday’s Wonkette liquor orgy and exciting speeches from Chris Christie and Bobby Jindal?! (Which, could we maybe combine those fellers into one person-shaped microphone that won’t alternate between yelling at the crowd and lulling it into a deceptively sweet catatonia? Is NASA busy right now?) Anyway, whatever, you guys! OMG America is SO lucky right now!

Promising that Tuesday’s convention theme “will honor the fact that it is the drive, determination and sacrifice of America’s job creators and millions of hard-working American men and women who made the United States the exceptional nation it is,” Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus today announced that Tuesday’s theme for the 2012 Republican National Convention will be “We Built It.”

At a campaign rally in Roanoke, Virginia, last month, President Obama declared, “if you’ve got a business, you didn’t build that.” Priebus said that Tuesday’s convention proceedings “will remind America that we are a nation made great not by Washington but by the men and women who summoned the inner drive, discipline and persistent effort to achieve their dreams within the free enterprise system.”

Can you believe it only took a blogger three nanoseconds to guess that there was no way something called the “Tampa Bay Times Forum” was built solely with proceeds from newspaper subscriptions people forgot to cancel after their parents died? Everybody, thank this nice blogger for showing his work:

The Tampa Bay Times Forum arena, which houses the Tampa Bay Lightning, was built in 1996 as the “Ice Palace” with 62% government funds. The total budget for the project was $139 million, of which public money accounted for $86 million and team money accounted for $53 million.

Paul Ryan is probably going to announce a program of convention-stamps that future national parties can attempt to trade, along with hobo beans and scrip, for a relatively dry conference room where they can cobble together the conservative heterosexual agenda. (PS The stamps won’t be adjusted for inflation, just for spite!)

The only thing Republicans will single-handedly build there is the business of every strip club and prostitute in the Tampa metro area. The Tampa Sluts coffers won't be the only thing filled by the time this convention is over…

Ruhe

But since titty bars are the establishments that are probably least likely to have been built or supported by any sort of government money aren't those precisely the places that the GOPers should be in?

pinkocommi

Now now. Don't forget the rent-boys. This is the Republican convention after all.

http://parterre.com La_Cieca

"You didn't bang that."

PsycWench

I for one am awaiting a full report from the Tampa area Craigslist "man to man" section.

http://simplyleftbehind.blogspot.com/ actor212

I hope they bring out Jefferson Starship to play "We Built This City," cuz that would make them seem so relevant and hip.

http://www.wonkette.com smokefilledroommate

We built this city on cock and balls(built this city!)
Goddamn that song was awful.

emmelemm

I have always had a particular hatred for that song.

bobbert

Note the sub-head

http://simplyleftbehind.blogspot.com/ actor212

Oh poo!

http://www.wonkette.com/ FlownOver

Great opportunity for Kantner and Slick to launch into a rousing chorus of "Up against the wall, motherfucker." For old times' sake.

http://simplyleftbehind.blogspot.com/ actor212

Or even just Volunteers of Amerikkka.

fishwharf

I can't imagine Kantner doing the gig. He's a cool guy. Hangs out at the Saloon on Grant Street in SF when he's not on the road.

BTW, I hear that's the night that teh Donald gets to fire a blah Obama impersonator.

NorthStarSpanx

Trump doesn't even have the credentials that he 'built' anything.

http://inappropriatejobpostings.blogspot.com/ fuflans

you must have that inside industry track.

mayor_quimby

Their gimmick can't be that simple, can it????

So, yeah. It can be that simple.

http://www.wonkette.com ManchuCandidate

WE run this nation,
We run this nation on bullshit and lies!

Say you don't know me, or recognize my face
Say you don't care who pays for that kind of place
Knee deep in ignorance, supporting the idiot right
Saying too many taxes supporting the urban blight

Mittens plays the Ken doll, Listen to the radio
Don't you remember?
We made this slogan, We run this nation on bullshit and lies!

Run this nation, we run this nation on bullshit and lies

Pragmatist2

Well so long as they don't land at the Tampa airport or take the interstate highway in or venture out into navigable waters or check with the Weather Bureau to see if a hurricane will kill them all or stop at a red light or stop sign or need police assistance when their hookers steal their wallets, the stadium should be their only encounter with government.

calliecallie

And if they don't drink anything with water or ice in it. Or flush the toilet anywhere.

viennawoods13

Or eat anything that had to pass inspection. You know, so they don't die.

anniegetyerfun

Well, and then talk to each other. Given how many of the politicians there are, you know, employed by the US gov't.

WhatTheHeck

If the government built it, the republicans will come all over it.
They are classy like that.

Barb_

……"“will honor the fact that it is the drive, determination and sacrifice of America’s job creators and millions of hard-working American men and women who made the United States the exceptional nation it is"

Unless they are union workers. In that case, they just ruin everything and are a bunch of thugs.

Callyson

I am seriously hoping that some of those union members picket this event, carrying signs that say "No, *we* built this!"

Barb_

That would be sweet.

Jus_Wonderin

Oh, this is priceless. Priceless.

rickmaci

Hope all those GOstdP's have a great time at their little tea party. They should try to be careful about taking one of those gifts that keeps on giving home with them, although they are probably at greater risk because they are ignorant a-holes and don't believe in science.

thedeathofirony

or condoms

TeaNuts

I see that all the geezers are proceeding to Gods waiting room (Florida), they didn't make that either, but I'm sure they will claim they did.

bobbert

At last: actual irony.

elfgoldsackring

They smelt it; they dealt it.

Monsieur_Grumpe

We built it?
If any of these morans ever swung a hammer I’m sure someone got hurt.

Beowoof

Probably just a servant who brought the coffee too cold.

http://dismalpseudoscientist.wordpress.com Incitefully_Joe

No, they built it with their ideas (and vast inherited fortunes).

The actual laborers who actually did the actual buidling don't deserve any of the credit, because that is Marxism (literally!).

If any of this is starting to sound sort of like the backstory of Bioshock, there's a reason for that.

BoatOfVelociraptors

I always thought giving credit to the actual laborers was Mexicanism.

Isyaignert

WTF – That's too funny, because when I saw "Marxism" I read 'Mexican."

sudsmckenzie

I hope Bobby brings his traveling foyer to the arena.

nounverb911

And his privately funded hurricane monitors?

nounverb911

It's a shame that Florida has to import its natural disasters.

coolhandnuke

Can Dexter throw the opening pitch.

Wilcoxyz

It's a private-pubic partnership, just like at all the Tampa strip clubs.

hagajim

You did say pubic…I read public…damn dyslexia.

majicunderwear

Perfect storm brewing as Hurricane Akin approaches, this will be the real focus of the convention. Mittens can run but he can't hide this time.

http://www.wonkette.com ChillBill

"We Built It. Go fuck yourself!"

Ruhe

"… the drive, determination and sacrifice of America’s job creators…" and thus begins the homily that announces the new religion. We shall all kneel and worship the pantheon of demi-god "Job Creators". This sort of language is where the Rand really starts to leak out of the Republican ethos as it's currently constituted. But please go back and read the book so you can learn just what your place might be in this brave new world. Not everyone gets to stand right next to John Galt. Not everyone gets to be a steel magnate or a pretend pirate. Some of us, most of us, just end up being extras and bit players who alternately feel blessed at merely being in the presence of the creators then feel sad about our own lot at which point we will stumble in front of an oncoming train…the end.

shelwood46

As a woman, I look forward to all the rape. It's a relief knowing I won't get pregnant.

mikes75

Guys, don't knock their hooker-stripper usage, it's the only way they'll ever learn about ladyparts.

http://www.wonkette.com/ FlownOver

Wouldn't it be more fitting to have the Republican ButtFest in the spiffy new Salvador Dalí museum? It's just across the bay, it had significant public financing, it's hurricane-proof, and its exhibits are almost as surreal as the Greedy One Percent's Platform.

I really love Dalí's work, it's such a shame he was a Franco stooge, an out-and-out fascist and a supporter of torture.

Dalí supported the military victory over the republican government in the civil war and the transporting of 200,000 captured Spanish leftists to concentration camps.

In fact, Dalí sent telegrams to Franco, praising him for signing death warrants for political prisoners. Even the year Franco died [1975], he signed the death sentences of four political prisoners. Dali sent Franco a telegram congratulating him.

The people of Port Lligat, where Dalí lived at the time, were so incensed they wanted to lynch him. He had to flee the town.

Dalí was a noted FBI informant, who also denounced fellow Spanish emigré artist, Buñuel as a communist and an atheist, and under pressure from the Archbishop of New York, Buñuel had to leave for Mexico.

As a human being, Dalí was a nasty, hateful motherfucker who stabbed colleagues and political opponents in the back. Next time I'm in Teatro Museo in Figueres [Catalonia], I'd like to piss on his gravestone.

mbobier

Self-awareness: Not the wingnuts' forte.

http://www.wonkette.com Lionel[redacted]Esq

Let's not forget the money the Republican's are getting from the Government for their convention. Or are the going to give that all back now?

Butch_Wagstaff

Never. Remember, you just talk about not wanting the big bad government's money but you take it anyway. Most of the base are too dumb & distracted gettin'-red faced that there are you-know-whats in the WH than to fuckin' notice.

http://johnnyzhivago.blogspot.com johnnyzhivago

As long as there's an everything you can eat, 24 hour buffet for speakers, my governor, Chris Christie will be there.

Butch_Wagstaff

I hear he's already camped out for the when the doors open.

Isyaignert

I thought his name was pronounced "Chris Kristy Kreme."

hagajim

Hopefully the private sector will come in and save them all when they get hurricaned on – by God for the win.

le petit mort

Tampa: Where tramp stamps and rascal scooters co-habitate awkwardly.

http://www.wonkette.com smokefilledroommate

And where you could probably find a person riding a scooter with a Little Rascals tramp stamp.

MissTaken

This post is incorrect. The theme is not "We Built It", but rather "We Smelled It". The entire day will be dedicated to reminding the oldz of the importance of fiber and being regular and will be sponsored by Ex-Lax, Chick-Fil-A, and that yogurt that makes you poop.

http://www.wonkette.com smokefilledroommate

Maybe an appearance by Jamie Lee Curtis?

http://simplyleftbehind.blogspot.com/ actor212

Also, Fred Thompson for reverse mortgages.

Beowoof

What has Jamie really shown since Trading Places?

calliecallie

Her cleavage and fine legs on NCIS. (now you know I'm old. I watch NCIS)

I thought most Republicans got their money the old-fashioned way – inheritance. marriage and/or fucking over the poors.

coolhandnuke

What a coincidence, the "Ice Palace" is Mitt's nickname for Ann's vajayjay.

Beowoof

After listening to her speak, I would be in favor of her keeping that closed.

http://www.wonkette.com smokefilledroommate

Stinky Ann is oft-victimized by that Not So Fresh feeling.

Callyson

He built that.

Willardbot9000_V2.5

The Ice Palace Mittens built…I don't think there's a woman out there, and I could be wrong but I don't think I am who could get sufficiently moist speaking to or watching him move. While Rush Limbaugh is the human equivolent of vaginal dry socket Mittens is the bland, awkward guy who couldn't seduce a woman without a million dollars sitting in front of her face. Lucky him that he's a sociopath but I'm still sure sex between them requires several tubes of lubricant….

Negropolis

And here was thinking it was the formal name of the half-term Alaska administration of Sarah Palin.

http://lostintarnation.blogspot.com/ SayItWithWookies

To be fair, the GOP hasn't built a fuckin' thing, per the promises they always make that government can't help anyone. The last two cities I think they've had a significant impact on were New Orleans and Baghdad — and considering that record, they should really be running from office, not for it.

SorosBot

Do you think they might, at some point, try attacking Obama for things he's actually done and said instead of this ridiculous misquoting of him that ignores what his actual, true point was?

MissTaken

HAHAHA! That's funny!

SorosBot

If only the Republicans could ever intentionally be funny.

IonaTrailer

Lies and the lying liars that lie.
That's about it.

elviouslyqueer

Oh, but SB, they've been touting this incessantly as Barry's "legacy quote." So it MUST be true.

OneYieldRegular

Maybe they can just sit in the 38% of seats that didn't come from government funding?

http://www.wonkette.com smokefilledroommate

And just announced, the theme of the 2012 DNC will be "Again, No You Didn't".

Beowoof

Trickesy those governments are, building stuff accommodate public events. Next thing you it will be trains, roads and bridges for the commoners.

SoBeach

I keep thinking the cackling and guffawing over "You didn't build that" is ultimately going to have the same effect handing out "Obama Energy Policy" tire gauges had in 2008: making the republicans look like feckless dicks.

GeorgiaBurning

Yes, they brought ice hockey to Florida. By the same logic all Medicare recipients who can't afford their coverage will be given recipes for tasty casseroles.

http://wonkette.com/ Sharkey

Florida hurricane you just don't know what you've done
We may fall off in the ocean, but you'll never make us run
You're a partner to the devil, but we ain't afraid of him
We'll build ourselves another arena so you can tear it down again

http://www.tumblr.com/blog/hamsterpantsworld Hammiepants

Heh. Next week is going to be SO epic. Between the potential fun of the hurricane (Act of God or Global Warming – it's a lose-lose both ways!) to the first tearful apologies for some senator being photgraphed naked in a dog collar ("I thought "The Doll's House" was a place I could buy dolls – for my non-rape product children!"), hilarity should ensue! I just hope there is enough liquor in the world to get me drunk enough to actually watch it.

shelwood46

Ahem, it is "Thee Doll House". I wish I did not know this.

http://www.tumblr.com/blog/hamsterpantsworld Hammiepants

It's okay. What happens on Wonkette stays on Wonkette ;>

metamarcisf

Watch for David Vitter's special appearance at the Diaper Pavillion

http://www.wonkette.com smokefilledroommate

Singing "It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To" complete with oversized rattle prop.

OT: We have never been properly introduced to most of the regular Wonkette writers, have we? (Except for Lisa Wines, International Woman Of Mystery.) "Kai", "Jesse", "Kris" — I don't even know what gender these people are as I'm leering at their witticisms!

anniegetyerfun

It didn't even occur to me that everyone was being so androgynous with the monikers. But that's because I'm a slut in every direction.

A lot of the writers disappear fairly rapidly, so the editrix probably doesn't want to waste her time introducing them.

kaiamursi

That was rather uncouth, huh? Maybe I should write up one of those.

http://www.wonkette.com Lionel[redacted]Esq

Both major parties asked for, and received, $18.3 million in federal handouts this year for the political portion of their conventions. It's part of the Presidential Election Campaign Fund (PECF), a program created in the 1970s to maximize disclosures and minimize the influence of big money in politics. By choosing the "free" federal money for their conventions, each party agrees to spend no outside dollars on the event (the $50 million in security funds for each host city comes from the Department of Homeland Security).

But while the RNC and DNC bicker over how to close the federal deficit — and they rake in hundreds of millions of dollars for political ads this summer — both parties still chose to take $18 million from the U.S. Treasury to pay for their week-long political parties.http://www.wusa9.com/news/article/217672/82/Tax-D…

Yep, they sure did build it, although it was totally funded by the government.

IonaTrailer

I could NOT make this shit up –

The American Family Association, a religious right group, is urging that Tillikum (Tilly), the killer whale that killed a trainer at SeaWorld Orlando, be put down, preferably by STONING. Citing Tilly's history of violent altercations, the group is slamming SeaWorld for not listening to Scripture in how to deal with the animal:

Says the ancient civil code of Israel, "When an ox gores a man or woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner shall not be liable." (Exodus 21:28)

Yauza! Ya just gotta hand it to Florida when it comes to crazy.

anniegetyerfun

That would take a LOT of stones and a long ass time.

http://simplyleftbehind.blogspot.com/ actor212

Gonna be hard to hit him, what with him underwater and all…

ElPinche

That's ok, let's give them a bag of pebbles and swim noodles. We'll see who lives.

lulzmonger

Having seen orcas close-up, I heartily approve of this comment.

metamarcisf

This goes beyond their previous position, where Tilly would be considered an enemy combatant and sent to Guantanamo Sea World.

anniegetyerfun

He's black and white, just like the President. Ergo, Muslin.

PubOption

But that way, Sea World can't make up for their loss by selling the dead whale to Japan.

http://intensedebate.com/people/mrblifil mrblifil

Blubber Liable!

emmelemm

It's right there in the name… KILLER whale. What did they think was going to happen?

That's nothing. The Democrats are going with "I like firing people… firing people up!" as their convention motto this year.

keepwalkin

One day a real rain will come and wash all the scum off the streets.

C'mon Hurricane Isaac!!!!!

Callyson

Voters to GOP: You talkin' to me?

mavenmaven

There will likely be so much viagra used at that meeting that they might be able to claim that they erected that.

GeorgiaBurning

They may have a point- how much of that $86 million was grifted by local Republican office holders from various state and federal agencies?

owhatever

They say this shit with a straight face. Let the indoor gunfire begin!

viennawoods13

Sorta OT, but over at the New Yorker is a good summary of what is wrong with the Repubs today

ElPinche

I predict the hurricane will make a directly hit on the GOP convention. God will strike vengeance upon them with mighty fury over Katrina in 2006. If we're lucky they'll turn to cannibalism. There will be nothing left but bones and the only living thing will be Trump's mutant toupee.

bobbert

I find your ideas interesting and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

ElPinche

There's more.
During the extraction, a Hazmat team discovers Chris Christie's hollowed out body husk and half-eaten David O'Keefe trapped like a small monkey within his rib cage.

Isyaignert

I hope you're right and I look forward to hearing funny Uncle Pat Robertson's explanation of it all.

lulzmonger

fapfapfapfapfap

Fox n Fiends

Luke 21:1-4 Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

http://www.wonkette.com smokefilledroommate

And then Jesus looked at the widow and shouted "Sucker!" and stuck out his Jesus tongue.

Negropolis

He was misquoted. Conservative Jesus was actually overheard saying: "Bitch, that all you got?"

StealthMuslin

"We built this! But enough about the national debt…"

http://intensedebate.com/people/mrblifil mrblifil

If there's a hurricane they can always go with plan B, the convention center in Mogadishu.

obfuscator2

"we built it!"

i can only assume the "it" in question is the national budget deficit.

I'm a bit late to the party, but here's a poster I made that the Repubs can use.

http://my.execpc.com/~artkm/rabbit_hole.html MilwaukeeKent

A thing of beauty! And historically accurate.

C_R_Trogloraptor

No, no/.My Tax Dollars built that. GTFO, Moochers.

http://my.execpc.com/~artkm/rabbit_hole.html MilwaukeeKent

The GOP, they're irony-proof, because, clueless.

thurufally

Most of those old, fat, wrinkly, white fuckers couldn't build an erection without government assistance. I hope they vapor lock on Viagra while they're down there.

Negropolis

"We Built It!" is 2012's "Git-R-Done!"

Isyaignert

Come on hurricane!!!

lulzmonger

"We Built It! Now, Let's Get Out There & Hate-Fuck It To Death!"

http://howtosavetheworld.ca/ BZ1

That "we built it" doesn't take into consideration, the internet, jet engines, radar, etc. etc.

ttommyunger

Lest we forget, the Republicans hate Mittens, too; they just hate Barry more. The feigned enthusiasm for R'Money by the faithful in Tampa will no doubt surpass that of Liz Taylor's during her seventh honeymoon.